Textual Analysis of Music Video - The Last Shaddow Puppets

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement

The music video opens with a long shot of an ice rink. This is an establishing shot which sets up the beginning setting of the video and creates an enigma as the audience would want to find out what’s going to happen next and how this connects to the music. In terms of Todrovs Narative Theory, this establishing shot also sets up the equilibrium of the story within the video. This then cuts to a medium shot of a girl putting on her ice skates. At this point, some tense build up of sound begins and the scene quickly cuts to a medium close-up of the girl and again straight cuts to a close-up of her face showing a slightly scared or worried facial expression. This then cuts to her beginning to ice-skate and then the song starts. She skates to the pace of the music which has quite a strong rhythm. The cuts in the video also correspond to the beat of the song as the shots cut on the beat. This helps to build tension and adds to the enigma created by the opening shot. Setting up the enigma code early also draws the audience into the text and makes them want to watch on. This shot could also symbolise the disruption in the narative as the music because somewhat more rhythmic and pacey.
This then cuts to another long establishing shot of two men standing by army tanks. There is also a zoom camera movement which moves steadily in with the beat of the music. This then cuts to a medium shot of the two lead singers. They are framed in the centre of the frame connoting their importance and status. Also, their costume is stereotypical of the “indie” style as they are wearing long trench coats. This helps to anchor the genre of the music and sets up the two characters as iconic figures to the audience. Through the use of iconography and other elements of mise en scene, the band members are immediately anchored in the indie genre which allows the audience to identify straight away with the music and the band members. Again, the shot cuts on the beat of the music to a medium close-up of the two characters walking. The tanks are still in the background and these props may be used to connote the importance and strength of the band. Also, the setting is a desolate place with snow, perhaps connoting the isolation and loneliness of the characters.
The lighting used is also quite dark and has a sepia tint which suggests connotations of age. This is also shown by the props in the video such as the tanks as they are old and look like they have some from the 1970’s. This is quite stereotypical of indie videos also as they draw their musical influence from bands from older generations so this video is a mirror of the type of music they produce. This idea of age and old-fashioned settings is further shown by a medium shot of men in old-fashioned army uniforms.
It then cuts to another setting with the band members driving through a Russian city with bright lights. This creates a contrast to the previous empty setting. There is also a further low angle of looking up at the two characters. This anchors their importance in the video and this is further shown by the fact that they are in the centre of the framing. The shot then cuts back to a medium long shot of the two characters back at the scene with the tanks. They dominate the frame in this shot which shows their importance and power even over the powerful equipment behind them.
The setting then changes again to a church. This is also a contrast to the setting with the tanks as it creates a binary opposite with religion and war. This is also ironic to the genre as indie music and bands are known to be anti-establishment so would be against both religion and anything to do with authority.
The characters facial expressions throughout are all serious which could also further connote that the band are serious about their music, or could connote the serious issues in the song. The facial expression is also anchored by the music as it too is quite serious.
As the pace of the music quickens towards the end, as do the cuts from shot to shot. This is to connect to the music and create a pace which the eye and the ears can follow. Towards the end, it cuts back to the girl iceskating. Her movement in the scene fits the pace and beat of the music and she stops as the beat slows. The last shot is a high angle long shot of the russian army men. This shot could connote how the band look down on authority and see themselves as "above the law" as they are looking down on authority figures. This final shot could also be showing the new equilibrium.